Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Reports: Iran launches first satellite: "Iran has launched its first satellite into orbit, according to Iranian news reports, as tension persists with the West over the Islamic republic's nuclear ambitions.

The U.S. Navy is going to take advantage of'space to communicate deep underwater. The'Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $35.8 million contract Feb. 2 to design and produce antenna buoy systems that will expand communications capabilities of submarines while they're submerged.

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The Navy's Communications at Speed and Depth (CSD) program will use expendable submarine and air-launched communications buoys to enable submarines operating below periscope depth and at tactical speeds to communicate with surface ships and land-based assets via satellite networks.

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Under the contract, an industry team headed by Lockheed Martin will develop three types of comms buoys: 2 sub-launched tethered buoys that provide real-time chat, data transfer and email capabilities via either Iridium or UHF satellites and an untethered, acoustic-to-radio frequency gateway buoy that can be launched from a sub or maritime patrol aircraft to enable two-way data transfer between a submerged sub and surface assets.

The ban on the F-22 appearing at the Paris air show - which was last made an international issue by the U.S.' following' France’s refusal' to support the 2003 invasion of Iraq—is off. Both U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin officials say the stealthy fighter will appear there on the ground and not just in a flyover.

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There were hard feelings from the first visit of the F-117 Night Hawk to the air show when French customs did an unusually thorough and lengthy examination of the first stealth design. French air force pilots were also recently accused of' collecting intelligence on the Indian air force’s Su-30MKI during a 2008 Red Flag exercise. Lockheed Martin also would like another review of the ban on F-22 exports which could help production of the stealth fighter to continue.